Page 45 of Vanquishing the Viscount

“Not exactly,” George broke in. “The ague doesn’t pass directly from one person to another. It’s in the local environs, usually, and can be exacerbated by damp.”

Miss Pitt flushed, and said, “How silly of me not to know that!”

James leaped to her rescue. “Don’t worry. Mr. George d’Ibert is studying medicine, as his sister has so often informed me. They both speak like walking pharmacopoeias.”

Wretched man! Emma glared at him, not at all in the mood for being teased. It had already been a long day, and there was still the trauma of being inducted into the Countess of Rossbury’s household to look forward to.

“I wouldn’t call it a huge favor, either,” Papa said, breaking the awkward silence, “since Tidworth spent barely one night with us. He was no trouble at all. Was he, Emma?”

She fought down the blush that threatened. If only Papa knew just how much trouble James had been in the small hours of the night! Feeling his intense gaze on her, she said, “No trouble. We were pleased to help.”

James must never know how he’d made her feel that night. The man was her nemesis, and she was going to keep him at arm’s length.

“I suppose we’d better be on our way,” he announced. “You’ll think us either lazy or vain, bringing the best carriage for so short a journey. But I thought to convey Miss d’Ibert around Bath a little, so she might get her bearings.”

“How very thoughtful of you,” gushed Mama. “But before you go, you must let me thank you for finding us such a charming house, my lord. You have excellent taste.”

This wasn’t going to be easy. Emma was determined to dislike James, but her parents had quite the opposite view of him. What would they say if she told them about how he’d surely behaved with Philippa, with Belinda, or, for that matter, with herself?

He accepted the praise with a polite nod, then angled his head toward the door. “Shall we?” he inquired, proffering his arm to his cousin.

Emma was just about to bid her parents farewell when George suddenly burst out, “Miss Pitt, I see you’re limping. Is there anything I can do for you?”

A shocked silence fell on the room. What a horrifying lapse of propriety! What if the poor girl was hiding a club foot beneath the long hem of her carriage dress, for instance? What if one leg was shorter than the other, and she had a built-up boot?

Small wonder Miss Pitt went beetroot red and fluttered her eyelashes a great deal as she stammered, “You are t-too k-kind, Mr. d’Ibert. I’ve pain in my heel.”

“Is it worse after dancing or walking?”

“George!” admonished Mama. “I’m sure Miss Pitt is perfectly well able to find herself a physician should she want one. A well-qualified one. We are in Bath, you know.”

George didn’t look the least bit perturbed. He smiled at Miss Pitt. “If I may be permitted to call upon you in the not-too-distant future, perhaps I may examine the heel?”

“That won’t be necessary, thank you,” James said stiffly.

Emma narrowed her eyes. Was that a hint of jealousy coming to the surface?

Good. He deserved to suffer the same fate as she.

No! Wait! She was not jealous of Miss Pitt. Or the perfect Belinda. Why, the very idea! He was welcome to love whomever he pleased. Emma was completely indifferent.

The farewells were made, then James handed Emma and Miss Pitt up into the carriage and seated himself opposite.

So much for keeping him at arm’s length. If the coach lurched into a pothole, she’d find herself in the viscount’s lap.

A vision flared in her mind of her doing exactly that, accompanied by a warm tingling of arousal.

Good heavens. She sent him a mortified glance.

Curse him! Why was he regarding her with that twinkling gaze, that upward curl of his lips—could he read her mind?

If she couldn’t prevent her body’s reaction every time he was near, she was doomed.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

James could scarcely believe the day had finally arrived.

Emma was here in the flesh, her knees bumping against his as the carriage lurched into movement. Were it not for the occasional brushing of their bodies, he might not have believed she was real.